STANDISH, ME – The 12th Saint Joseph’s College Athletics Hall of Fame class has been released. Mary Gill Herrick ‘02, Jamie Header ‘93, Pat Lessard ‘00, Sarah Webster ’02 and Joe and Joan Pappalardo will be inducted in a ceremony to be held this September. The 2014 ceremony will have extra meaning as the reception will serve as the grand opening of the college’s Hall of Fame Room.
Gill, a four-year member of the Saint Joseph’s women’s soccer program, scored 36 goals with 21 assists for 93 total points during her career and is the only player in team history to earn four NAIA All-Northeast and four All-Conference honors. The native of Dixfield, Maine ranks fifth all-time in both goals and points as well as sixth in assists at the time of her induction and helped guide the Monks to a pair of Maine Athletic Conference Championships over her four seasons.
Header, an all-around contributor in each of his four seasons with the SJC men’s basketball program, tallied 1,328 points, 475 rebounds, 412 assists and 287 steals in 116 collegiate contests. The Bath, Maine native currently ranks second in team history in steals, seventh in assists and 11th in field goals made (529), was chosen as the MAC Rookie of the Year in 1990, and collected NAIA All-America, All-District, All-State and All-Conference accolades following his senior season. The Monks posted an 87-32 (.731) overall record and made a pair of NAIA National Tournament appearances during Header’s career.
Regarded as one of the finest power pitchers in the history of Saint Joseph’s College baseball, Lessard excelled as a reliever and a starter during his four years on the mound. For his career, the Livermore Falls, Maine native tallied 23 saves along with a 3.43 ERA and 131 strikeouts in just 102 innings over 42 appearances. At the time of his induction, Lessard ranks second all-time in saves and strikeouts per nine innings (11.5) and third in hits allowed per nine innings (6.5). He earned All-Conference honors on three occasions and helped Saint Joseph’s win three MAC Championships and three NAIA New England titles during his career.
Webster was an elite pitcher during one of the most successful eras in Saint Joseph's College softball history. The native of Searsport, Maine won 48 games with a 1.98 ERA and 303 strikeouts over 77 appearances and 442.2 innings in her career and was selected as the 2001 Maine Athletic Conference Player of the Year. She goes into the Hall of Fame as the program’s all-time innings leader and is currently ranked second in victories, appearances and shutouts (10) and fourth in strikeouts. Webster’s play helped the Monks post a 105-64 (.621) overall record with three MAC Championships, a pair of NAIA New England Championships and an NAIA Northeast Championship.
The Pappalardo’s, who were born in Teaneck, New Jersey and currently reside in Raymond, Maine, are two of the most loyal fans to be found anywhere, as the connection Joe and Joan have built with the Saint Joseph’s men’s and women’s basketball programs spans over three decades. The couple has shown unwavering support, having rarely missed a home game in 30 years while also traveling to away contests, including some as far away as the Virgin Islands and Hawaii. A board member for Camp Sunshine, Joe was instrumental in establishing a continued relationship between the College and the nationally-recognized camp located in Casco, Maine. This relationship provided numerous community service opportunities for the Saint Joseph’s College student-athletes and coaches.
The cost to attend ceremony, held on Saturday, September 13th, is $30 for adults and $10 for children under the age of 12. The reception begins at 5:00 PM with the induction ceremony to follow.
The list of accomplished athletes, teams, coaches, administrators and philanthropists grows to 73 with the addition of the 2014 honorees. The complete list of inductees can be found on the Saint Joseph’s College athletics website, www.gomonks.com.
Founded in 2000, the Saint Joseph’s College Athletics Hall of Fame honors past athletes, faculty, staff and friends who, through their actions, have brought distinction through athletics to themselves and to Saint Joseph’s College. With the combination of the committee and members who have associations with the college and/or athletics department, the Saint Joseph’s College Hall of Fame has continued to make strides toward the future while honoring the past.
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 430-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
